As this is more appropriate to this thread,I've transfered it over for Lee Fletcher
Dear Fred, and All,
So have you read it then Fred on the ACA website? For all others go and have a look because it just got posted up today! Oops, another gaff seeing as the ACA membership haven't all received this in the post?
My first reactions Fred? Waffle. The type of which I've been reading about for years. No mention about structure, how the thing will work, how it will be presented to "angling", who will be heading up this "thingmy", in fact, nothing but a list of maybe's and what we might do's. But absolutely nothing about how the thing will work!!?? And I can tell you all now, I have emails on record where I suggested a lot of the stuff to political angling now contained in this document years ago!!
I especially like the bit where it says it will "offer an attractive membership package to individual anglers and provide the best services to its member clubs, fisheries andriparian owners"Which in itself doesn't make sense because it appears to want individual members but doesn't say it wants member clubs just says it will provided the best services. So are they talking about the existing ACA, NAFAC, NFA, SAA club members? Can't read anywhere about offering group club membership which I take to mean clubs and groups etc must join one of the FACT constituent orgs to be a part? Also surprise surprise also doesn't mention if "individual members" will have any actual say in how the supposedly new org will be run? It then goes on to say, "The proposed new organisation is best placed to demand better funding from government to ensure proper governance". Hah! That old potato! Now I "HAVE" heard that codswallop many times before at political meetings and guess what? It never happened for all the bluster before and it isn't going to happen now! So it seems like there's an offer for individual members but they are still going for the "government" rabbit out the hat funding route! These blokes just won't learn will they? This government might well hand FACT a few quid, but when they get slung out or policy changes it will get snatched straight back! So thats any paid professionals out of work and us back to square one on the funding front! Added to which the whole document is shot full of holes and you have a great announcement! If this is a copy of what the ACA want to send out to the members they are wasting a lot of stamps. In my opinion, this is all all about FACT keeping overal control and is "NOT" a path that the ACA should be taking.
Regards,
Lee.